wolfensteinfandomcom-20200223-history
Wilhelm Strasse (MachineGames)
Wilhelm "Deathshead" Strasse is a leading member of the German Armed Forces, a gifted researcher and doctor who heads the SS Special Projects Division. His rank in Return to Castle Wolfenstein is Oberführer (Brigadier General), but later he is promoted to Obergruppenführer (General) in Wolfenstein. He will have a major role once again in the upcoming sequel Wolfenstein: The New Order. Background ''Return to Castle Wolfenstein'' Oberführer Wilhelm "Deathshead" Strasse is the man behind both the Lopers, and the Super Soldiers, towering cyborg soldiers that were heavily armed and armored. Unlike the other SS antagonists, Deathshead doesn't believe in the occult and would prefer to arm the Nazi war machine using advanced technology, but has been ordered to provide his creations to Operation Resurrection by Heinrich Himmler himself. He is first encountered in the Secret Weapon Facility. Himmler has also asked him to join the resurrection ceremony but Deathshead declines due to his disbelief in the occult. Deathshead continuously taunts Blazkowicz during his duel in the lab with an Übersoldat, commenting "Thus we will see the superiority of the machine over flesh and blood". After the protagonist wins the fight, Deathshead narrowly escapes in a rocket plane and goes into hiding, not to be seen again for the rest of the story. ''Wolfenstein'' Strasse, now holding the rank of a Obergruppenführer (General), is revealed to be the main antagonist of the game. Having been summoned from Berlin to replace the deceased Obergruppenführer Viktor Zetta, Deathshead resumes the latter's research into Veil technology, especially for making new advanced weapon technology. Employing the formidable Hans Grosse as his bodyguard, Deathshead orchestrated the capture of Kreisau Circle leader Caroline Becker and held her hostage at his castle base. While constructing a Veil Portal, Deathshead had the opportunity to exact revenge on Blazkowicz as he arrived to save Caroline. Unfortunately, he missed out on it as Caroline's interference destroyed his portal, forcing him and Hans to flee the area while Blazkowicz dealt with the Queen Geist. Having done enough work on Veil technology, Deathshead constructed a Veil weapon on his large zeppelin and planned to test it on Isenstadt before unleashing it on the Allied Powers. With Hans behind him, Deathshead entered the Black Sun Dimension where the weapon was installed and is greeted by Blazkowicz. Already expecting the American to follow him, Deathshead revealed to Blazkowicz an armored and Veil empowered Hans and returned to the zeppelin to oversee the weapons test, ordering Hans to kill Blazkowicz. To his shock, not only did he see an alive Blazkowicz emerge from the portal, Deathshead noticed that Blazkowicz had destroyed the Veil weapon and severely damaged the zeppelin causing it to crash into the castle base in a fiery wreck. While Blazkowicz hoped his archenemy had perished, he had a feeling that the mad doctor survived. Unbeknownst to him, a battered and bruised Deathshead emerged from the zeppelin wreckage and screamed in anger at his failure in the final cutscene. ''The New Order'' Strasse will return in the upcoming game Wolfenstein: The New Order. He will be one of the main antagonists in the game and it is unclear how he managed to turn the tide of WWII for the Nazi's favor. Strasse shows to have been badly scarred since his last appearance. According to the official website: Europe, 1946. World War II rages across Europe. Where once the Allies pressed advantage, the Nazi forces have turned the tide in dramatic fashion behind the technologically advanced war machine of General Wilhelm Strasse -- Deathshead. When a final Allied assault on Deathshead's compound fails, the Allies’ greatest hope falls with it. Trivia *It is unclear who his English voice actor is in Return to Castle Wolfenstein. In Wolfenstein he is voiced by Robin Atkin Downes, who also voices the Director of the OSA. In Wolfenstein: The New Order, he is voiced by Dwight Schultz. *In Wolfenstein, Strasse's name is alternately spelled "Strauss". This is a mistake in the 2009 game; Strauss and Strasse are very different names with different meanings. *According to the Return to Castle Wolfenstein manual, he is based on Doctor Schabbs. He has much in common with him. Both are doctors who are very scientifically educated and both have developed ultimate creations; Strasse's technological brainchild is the Ubersoldat and Schabbs' biological masterpiece is the Übermutant. *The insignia on his collar in Wolfenstein lists him incorrectly as an Obersturmführer (Lieutenant) instead of a Obergruppenführer (General). *In Wolfenstein, he is better known as Deathshead, by B.J. and the OSA. *In the last mission of Wolfenstein, it's possible to shoot him, he does not seems to take any damage, however. *When encountered in the Black Sun Dimension his face slightly resembles a skull with glowing eyes. *According to Jack, he is probaby the most dangerous figure in the Third Reich. *So far, he is the only antagonist that appear in all games in new Wolfenstein series. *Some time between Wolfenstein and The New Order, during the Nazis rise to world domination. Strasse's focus would shift more from exploiting the supernatural to experimenting with decopunk-styled robotics and technologies into the 1960's. *Along with B.J., Strasse is the only characher that appear in all games in New Wolfenstein series, at least before the release of The New Order. *In the french version of the 2009 game Wolfenstein, his named Totenkopf *He is seen wearing a monocle in most of his appearances, but not in the New Order. *In the New Order he wears a mechanics overall over his uniform, implying he spends more time creating war machines and weapons than leading troops. *His nickname may be a refrence to the "deathshead" skull and bones insignia used by the SS. *He has some similarities with the Captian America villan Red Skull. Both are high ranking Nazi scientists and officers, both have a skull themed name/alias both develop advanced weapons and both (to vastly diffrent degrees) have a skull like appearence. *According to Wolfenstein the New Orders website, Deathshed is literally 100 years old in 1960. Possibly using unnatural methods to retain his health. *Out of all characters in the franchise of the new series, Strasse is the only one to be appeared in all three games. *Deathshead is a refrence to the the skull and crossbones symbol that appeared on the caps and uniforms of the SS, called Totenkopf, also commonly known as the Deaths-head symbol. Gallery ''Return to Castle Wolfenstein'' Wilhelm_Strasse.jpg Deatshead_in_SWF.JPG|Wilhelm Strasse in the Secret Weapons Facility strasser_xlabs.png|Strasse in his X-lab in "Return to Castle Wolfenstein" ''Wolfenstein'' Wolfenstein-Strasse 2.png|Wilhelm Strasse with Hans Grosse holding Caroline Becker, confronting Blazkowicz in the Castle of Isenstadt Wolfenstein-Strasse 3.png|Wilhelm Strasse in the Black Sun Dimension ''Wolfenstein The New Order'' 573025.png|Wilhelm Strasse with an UberSoldat. Deathshead.jpg|Another Screenshot of Wilhelm Strasse in Wolfenstein: The New Order. WtNO Deathshead.jpg Deathshead2.png|Deathshead in 1946 es:Wilhelm Strasse fr:Wilhelm Strasse nl:Wilhelm Strasse Category:Return to Castle Wolfenstein characters Category:Wolfenstein characters Category:Characters Category:The New Order characters Category:Nazis